Car-coupling



(No Model.)

H. K. SMITH.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 481,071. Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

[ WITNESSES: gig/ENM 45 M nogwxedfi ATTORNEYS,

umo., WA$HINGTON n c HAMPTON K. SMITH, OF UNION, SOUTH CAROLINA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,071, dated August16, 1892.

Application filed October 17, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAMPTON K. SMITH, of Union, in the county of Unionand State of South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Oar-Couplers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to an improvement in car-couplers, and has for itsobject to provide a car-coupler comprising a durable and simpledraw-head capable of an interlocking connection with an opposingdraw-head, and also to provide valve-heads to be carried by thedraw-heads, the said valve-heads receiving the air-pipes for air-brakesor steam-pipes, as may be elected.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the valve-heads thatwhen the heads of two opposed-couplers are brought together a connectionwill be established between the steam or air pipes of said heads, andwhereby as soon as opposed draw-heads are uncoupled the valves in theheads will automatically seat themselves and prevent the escape of airor steam.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and set forth inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures and letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of two opposed draw-heads, the valve-headof one draw-head being in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of twoopposed couplers in a coupled posit-ion. Fig. 3 is a front elevation ofa coupler, and Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of two opposed draw-heads ina coupled position.

The draw-head A consists of a body-section 10, which is somewhatcircular in cross-section, a hub 11, projecting from the rear of thehead, and a wing 12, extending horizontally from one side, the said wingterminatingin a hook 13, which hook is located at the lower portion ofthe wing and extends diametrically in front of the head. The outer endof the wing, and likewise the hook, is beveled downward and inward fromthe top, and the hook-section of the wing has an opening 14 producedtherein Serial No. 409,078. (No model.)

and a vertical aperture 15, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3,)whichcrosses the opening 14, the opening being adapted for the receptionof the link and the aperture for the reception of a pin when thecoupling is to be used with an opposed link-coupler. The head isprovided with a horizontal circular bore 16, which extends through thehub, the said bore being eccentrically located in the head, the greatestthickness of metal being between the bore and the lower portion of thehead.

In mounting the draw-head upon a car a circular bar 17 is attached tothe bottom of the car in any suitable or approved manner after said barhas been passed through the bore in the draw-head. The bore in the headproper is larger than that in the hub, and the rod or bar 17 is providedwith a head or enlargement 18 at its outer end, which loosely fits intothe bore of the draw-head, being capable of a rotary movement upon thebar 17, which may be termed the draw-bar.

The draw-head is rocked to uncouple it from an opposed draw-head throughthe medium of a shaft 19, journaled at the end of a car, which shaft ispreferably provided at its ends with arms 20 and with an intermediatearm 21, the latter arm being connected by a chain 22 or like device withthe wing side of the draw-head.

In connection with the draw-head a valvehead Bis employed, the saidvalve-head being somewhat circular in cross-section, and it is locatedover the hook portion of the head wing, as is shown in Fig. 1. Thevalve-head is connected with the head 18 of the draw-bar through themedium of a spring 23 and a chain 24 or the equivalent thereof passingthrough the spring and attached to the inner face of the valve-head andto the outer face of the head of the draw-bar. valve-head a chamber isformed opening out at the front of the head, the said chamber beingprovided with a lining consisting of a cylindrical metal barrel 25,rigidly secured in the head in any suitable or approved manner. Theinterior diameter of this barrel at its outer end is reduced and is ofconical shape to receive a conical valve 26, the said valve beingnormally forced in the conical seat of the bearings through the mediumof a spring 27. An opening is made in the valve-head Within theextending through into the barrel, into which opening one end of the airor steam pipe 28, utilized for the air-brakes or for steam-heating, isintroduced, as shown in Figs. 2 and Around the outer end of the barrel25 a rubber washer or cushion 29 is located, the said cushion or washerbeing flanged preferably at its inner end, which flange portion fits ina recess in the valve-head, and the outer end of the washer or cushionextends beyond the outer face of the head. The valve-head in its outerface is provided near its periphery with a guide-lug 30, somewhattapering, and near the opposite peripherya correspondinglyshaped socketor recess 31 is formed.

\Vhen two opposed draw-heads are brought together for the purpose ofcoupling two cars, the beveled 01' inclined face of the wing of onedraw-head will ride upon the corresponding face of the wing of theopposite draw-head, and one draw-head will rock upon the drawbar asuificient distance to permit the hook of one draw-head to cross theother,whereupon, as the greatest weight of the draw-head is at thebottom, their heads will as their hooks pass one another gravitate tothe closed and loeking position shown in Fig. 4. As the drawheads cometogether and lock, the valves of the opposed valve-heads will alsoengage and the lug of one head will enter the recess of the oppositehead. This locking connection between the two heads is effected in orderto direct the valves 26 in a manner to engage fairly one with the other.As the valves engage they are pressed inward, and communication isthereby established between the pipe 28 of one car and the correspondingpipe of the other. A leakage of steam or air is prevented by the rubberor flexible washers or cushions of one draw-head engaging tightly withthe cushions or washers of the opposite head. Thus it will be seen thatsimultaneously with the coupling of the cars a coupling is etfectedbetween the steam or air pipes carried by the cars.

The valve-head B may be provided with two openings, one to receiveasteam and the other an air pipe. The draw-bar may be secured to thecar-body in any approved manner and the valve-block and valve may beused in connection with any other style of draw-head.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a car-coupler, of avalve-head containing a chamber having a conicalouter end and anaperture leadinginto said chamber and adapted to receive a steam or airpipe, a spring-controlled conical valve located in the chamber, acushion or washer surrounding the chamber and extending beyond itsforward end, and guide devices attached to the outer faces of thevalve-heads, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a ear-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar and acoupling-hook mounted to rock thereon, of a valve-head yieldinglyconnected to the draw-bar and adapted for connection with a steam or airpipe and a Valve in said head, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination,with a draw-bar and acoupling-hook mounted to rock thereon, of a valve-head, a valve in saidhead, a flexible connection connecting the valve-head to the draw-bar,and a spring interposed between the valve-head and the draw-bar,substantially as described.

In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar and a coupling-hookmounted to rock thereon, of a valve-head provided with a guide-lug, aflexible connection between the valve-head and draw-bar, and a conicaland spring-pressed valve in the valve-head and projecting beyond theouter face of the same, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupler, the combination, with a draw-bar, of a draw-headconsisting of a body-section having a hub, the said body-section beingprovided with an eccentrically-located bore extending through the hub,and a wing extending from one side of the body, terminating in a hookthe direction of which is diametrically across the front face of thebody, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a car-coupler, the combination, with a draw-bar having a head atits outer end, of a draw-head provided with a hub at one end and aneccentric-ally-located bore extending in reduced form through the hub,the said head through the medium of the said bore being loosely mountedupon the draw-bar, and a wing extending horizontally over the outer faceof the body at one side, terminating in a hook the direction of which isdiametrically of the body of the draw-head and the outer end of whichwing and hook is beveled or inclined, as and for the purpose specified.

HAMPTON K. SMITH.

Vitn esses:

W. M. MEADow, Dino. H. OETZEL.

